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Alberta Federation of Labour Terms of Reference for Standing Committees

All Committees

General – Terms of Reference

Specific terms of reference have been established for each Standing Committee and Working Group according to their specific jurisdiction. However, all Standing Committees and Working Groups of the AFL shall:

keep abreast of and be knowledgeable in matters and developments related to their jurisdiction, and keep the AFL Officers up to date in these areas.
review their mandate from convention and develop a plan of action for their term.
deal with business referred to them by the Executive Council.
carry out activities of the committee, and report in writing any recommendations to the AFL Executive Council meetings. (please see reporting in clear language)
subject to Executive Council approval and in coordination with the AFL Officers, organize provincial or regional conferences.
liaise with affiliated unions and labour councils in matters related to their respective jurisdiction and CLC committees where applicable.
receive prior approval from the President or Secretary Treasurer before all correspondence, printed materials, public statements, etc. are produced.
prior to adjournment of a meeting, establish, whenever possible, the next meeting date of the committee.
communicate with other members of the committee. The AFL will supply the names, telephone numbers and email addresses of committee members.
report biennially on its activities to the convention of the Federation.
not have any authority to act or speak on behalf of the Federation.

The President and Secretary Treasurer shall be ex officio members of all committees. The Secretary Treasurer is the primary liaision for all Committees. AFL staff will be assigned to committees, when needed, to assist them in carrying out their responsibilities.

Reporting in Clear Language

All committee resolutions to Conventions and all recommendations to the AFL Executive Council will be presented to the AFL in clear language.

Resolutions and Policy Review

The AFL, through its committees, will review policies and resolutions for the purpose of:

consolidating
rewriting in clear language, or
deleting or archiving those that are redundant or have been dealt with.

Education

The Education Committee shall:

Educate members of affiliated unions by organizing and promoting educational activities such as the week-long Schools as well as other internal union education schools as required.
Educate the children of members of affiliated unions by organizing and promoting educational activities such as the annual AFL Kids Camp.
Promote literacy and clear language as integral parts of education by working with the CLC, labour councils and affiliated local unions.
Review AFL materials with the purpose of providing training and increasing the use of clear language, recognizing literacy challenges.
Co-operate with labour council education committees, and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) staff representatives.
Compile and distribute a list of all people and resources available in Alberta for education purposes.
Promote labour education programs to all Alberta education institutions.
Coordinate educational activities of the Federation Committees through the Executive Council.
Elect a member of the Committee and recommend to the Executive Council that the member be named to participate on the CLC Education Committee representing the AFL. The representative would attend the meetings and report back to the Education Committee and the AFL Executive Council. (subject to funding from the affiliate, the CLC, or the AFL).
Elect a member of the Committee and recommend to the Executive Council that the member be named to participate on the CLC Literacy working group representing the AFL. The representative would attend the meetings and report back to the Education Committee and the AFL Executive Council. (subject to funding from the affiliate, the CLC, or the AFL).

Environment

The mandate of the Environment Committee includes, but is not limited to:

Implementing resolutions with an environmental theme that have been passed by an AFL Convention. Any outstanding resolutions from the Convention are also referred to the Committee for recommendation.
Researching, analyzing and assessing environmental issues within Alberta, Canada and the world and making recommendations on actions and response to the AFL Executive Council that ensure consistency with established AFL policy.
Coordinating support and activities with affiliate environment committees.
Coordinating activities with the CLC Environment Committee.
Liaison with environmental groups around the province of Alberta on issues of mutual interest or concern.
Coordinating with environmental organizations and participating in environmental networks as it sees fit.
Participating in environmental conferences and forums.
Organizing educational material on environmental issues for the labour movement in Alberta. Planning and presenting forums, courses and seminars to educate the labour movement and Albertans on environmental issues.

Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgendered (GLBT)

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons Committee of the Alberta Federation of Labour recognizes and supports the ability of organized labour to work towards achieving social justice for all workers. In particular we believe that the labour movement has a unique opportunity and obligation to foster and support Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered workers and their allies to maximize opportunities at work, at home and in the community.

The GLBT Committee shall:

Encourage active involvement of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons in union activities and other activities affecting them.
Promote, audit and organize educational programs including communication materials, concerning Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons in the workplace, home and community.
Foster working class culture amongst Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons and their allies by initiating meetings ,forums, workshops, conferences, conventions, demonstrations, mass action and education course where appropriate.
Inform Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons and their allies about the resources and opportunities that are available within the labour movement to further awareness of the union advantage.
Advance solidarity amongst workers Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons and their allies to strive towards common interests.
Encourage formation of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered committees with labour organizations at all levels.
Work with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community to outreach through community groups such as the Pride Centre of Edmonton and the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Association (GLCSA) of Calgary.
Facilitate discussion on the socioeconomic quality of life of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons their families and allies about special circumstances and situations facing them.
Work with the AFL Executive Council, other Federations committees and the larger global community.

Health & Safety

The Health and Safety Committee shall:

Lobby to improve legislation and its enforcement.
Lobby to establish mandatory joint committees.
Undertake rank and file education.
Initiate public awareness campaigns.
Establish dialogue through conferences.
Build and maintain a province-wide network of health and safety activists.
Revitalize educational efforts.
Promote worker health and safety on the job site.
Work with the Alberta Workers Health Centre (AWHC) on health and safety issues (3 committee members will be appointed to sit on the AWHC Board of Directors)
Work with the Political Action Committee on matters related to the above.

Human Rights & International Solidarity

The Human Rights and International Solidarity Committee shall:

Support struggles consistent with the principles and policies of the Canadian labour movement on trade union rights and freedoms, economic and social justice, human rights and political freedoms.
Report on activities of transnational corporations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and monitor the impact of global economic changes on the labour movement. With approval of the Executive Council, disseminate this information to union officers, activists, and the rank and file members of the Alberta labour movement, and recruit active supporters from these people.
Gather and encapsulate information about international events and issues pertinent to the trade union movement, and to provide that information along with policy recommendations (if appropriate) to the Executive Council of the Alberta Federation of Labour.
Examine and pursue, with approval of Executive Council, avenues of direct support for trade union struggles abroad. Such support activities could include financial, moral, or material support for unionists, participation in the informal networks already in existence in Canada, and sponsoring trade union tours and representation between Alberta and other countries.
Other special activities that would increase awareness of the struggles of unionists internationally, or build support for those struggles.

Political Action

The Political Action Committee shall:

Promote interest and participate in civic, provincial or federal elections.
Sponsor educational classes for steward officers and members as advisable or necessary.
Sponsor education classes to train prospective labour candidates, campaign managers and election workers.
Promote information sharing and policy discussion forums for New Democrat candidates prior to federal, provincial and civic elections.
Participate fully in meetings, conferences, conventions, etc., to enhance training and education of the membership.
Participate effectively in legislative matters affecting working people, and respond in particular to labour legislation of the provincial government, the Alberta Labour Code, Public Service Employee Relations Act, Workers' Compensation Act, as well as regulations and orders of such bodies from provincial bodies. The committee will also respond to any legislation referred to it by the Council.
Conduct studies and fulfill tasks requested by the Executive Council (specific examples to promote a Model Trade Union Act).
Organize appropriate activities to fight for good labour legislation.
Pursue AFL policy of support to the New Democrats and encourage more labour participation at conventions and within the decision-making structure of the NDP.
Promote and liaise with Political Action Committees of Labour Councils and other labour organizations.
Prepare and update materials on labour's history with the NDP to be used in educational packages.
Mobilize and coordinate opposition to privatization, contracting out, deregulation, and spin-off companies among union members and the general public.
Make recommendations to Officers and Executive Council regarding education and action plans to carry out the mandate of convention resolutions.
Liaise with establisehd committees within AFL affiliates, non-affiliates and with coalition groups.
Liaise with appropriate CLC Committees.

Women

The Women's Committee shall:

Be concerned with the rights of women in the work force who face discrimination, lack of equal opportunity, unfair treatment, and/or harassment in the workplace and union.
Encourage involvement of women in union activities and other activities concerning women.
Cooperate and liaise with other Federations and union committees in this common area of jurisdiction.
Be concerned with facilitating discussion on the socioeconomic quality of life of women and the special circumstances and situations facing them. e.g. dual roles, spousal/partner/child/elder abuse, job sharing, pensions and child/elder care.
Participate and/or initiate meetings, conferences, conventions and education courses where appropriate.
Compile materials and monitor legislation concerning women.
Promote and organize educational programs concerning women in the workplace, home and society.
Conduct studies as necessary.
Work with the Executive Council in promoting or assisting in the organization of women workers.
Encourage formation of Women's Committees with labour organizations at all levels.

Note: Affirmative Action representatives on the AFL Executive Council will automatically sit on the AFL Women’s Committee.

Youth

The Youth Commitee shall:

Encourage active involvement of young persons in union activities and other activities affecting them.
Promote and organize educational programs including communication materials, concerning young persons in the workplace, home, and community.
Foster working class culture amongst young persons by initiating meetings, forums, workshops, conferences, conventions, demonstrations, mass action, and education courses where appropriate.
Inform young persons about the resources and opportunities that are available within the labour movement to further awareness of the union advantage.
Advance solidarity amongst workers, students, and young persons to strive towards common interests.
Encourage formation of youth committees with labour organizations at all levels.
Facilitate organizing empowerment by targeting industries that predominantly exploit marginalized young workers.
Work with the New Democratic Youth of Alberta (NDYA) to promote a young workers agenda in the NDP.
Be concerned with facilitating discussion on the socioeconomic quality of life of youth, young families and the special circumstances and situations facing them.
Work with the AFL Executive Council, other Federations, committees and the larger community around the world.